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A New Spring

Today is February 20 and by the law of averages there usually is plenty of snow. Its usually cold even though the days are getting longer. In my Facebook account I often get reminders of what I’ve posted on that date in past years. Just a few days ago I awoke to a Facebook picture from two years ago of two feet of snow with paths I shoveled that did not get down to the ground or pavement. I was happy that we had very little snow at the time and none on the walking surfaces.

Today was much better than that day however. The sun was bright. There were few clouds. Winds were nothing more than a gentle breeze. Most importantly, the temperature got up to 57 F. I took my dog for a walk. I took her for a long walk. We went for at least 3 1/2 miles. The further we went the warmer I felt. There came a point that I started to walk slower because I didn’t want to start sweating.

As we walked through the park about a mile from our home I could begin to see the transition of the seasons. All the snow was gone but not all the ice had melted on the lake. There is now plenty of open water but the ice is still fairly thick.

The change of the seasons, especially from winter to spring, echoes the change in our lives. Sometimes our seasons last only for a short time. Yet a season can last for years and we are not aware of when the season is about to change until we are in the midst of it.

I reflect today that a season of my life is changing. Eighteen years ago my wife and I were seeking to adopt our first child from China. Today we draw ever closer to her high school graduation. Her younger brother is three years her junior. The snow of that season is melting and the ice is cracking. No matter how much a season is loved in life, it will change. The most important thing in life is to allow change to happen and not force it to happen or in contraindication to force the change from happening.

Winter is passing and spring is definitely one the way. My time of having children at home is passing too, though that season has a bit more time. So what season is passing in your life? Perhaps you aren’t at the end of a season but at the beginning or solidly in the midst of a season. Wherever you are, enjoy the season. It will pass too quickly. Plan for the future but fully live and enjoy the present.